


Piano Man II

by Jacie



Series: NCIS: Piano Man Series [2]
Category: NCIS
Genre: Co-workers, M/M, Piano, Relationship(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-22
Updated: 2019-09-22
Packaged: 2020-10-25 18:28:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,892
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20728787
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jacie/pseuds/Jacie
Summary: Tony tries to throw the team off about his relationship with Gibbs, but the team figures it out anyway. Gibbs and Tony both find solutions to the team showing up on Tony's piano nights.





	Piano Man II

**Author's Note:**

> A continuation of Piano Man, wherein Tony and Gibbs find a way to elude their nosy teammates.

Once they were outside the bar, Gibbs shook his hand loose from Tony’s grasp. “What did you tell them that for?”

Tony grinned widely and shrugged. “Just to mess with their minds. They’ll never believe it.”

Stepping closer, Gibbs head-slapped Tony. “They’re investigators. All they have to do is ask the bartender or one of the servers.”

Tony’s smile quickly faded. “Yeah, right. Oops. My bad. Aren’t you tired of keeping it a secret though?”

Pulling his keys from his pocket, Gibbs turned toward his truck. “You coming over tonight?”

“Sure. See you in a bit.”

Gibbs beat Tony back to the house and was already sitting on the couch with a bottle of beer while _The Good, The Bad and The Ugly_ played on the television.

Tony eyed the second open bottle sitting on the coffee table. “It’s late and we do have to work tomorrow.”

“We need to talk, tonight.”

After hanging up his coat, Tony took a seat on the sofa and picked up the bottle. “I am sorry. I swear I didn’t tell them about Murphy’s. Jake and Ellie just showed up, and she was so excited that she spread the word. Then Tim showed up, and Abby, too. I didn’t know what to say.”

“Now they all know. About Murphy’s, about your piano nights and about us.”

Tony remained quiet for a few minutes, then turned to face Gibbs. “Is that really such a bad thing?”

“Rule twelve.”

“It’s been two years. Don’t you think it’s time to trash that rule?”

Gibbs’ eyes remained glued to the screen, watching Clint Eastwood. “It’s a good rule.”

“Just because things didn’t work out with Jenny, doesn’t mean things will never work out.”

“It causes complications, especially if things don’t work out. It can make things awkward.”

“You and Jenny seemed to work things out when she was our director.”

Rubbing his hand across his chin, Gibbs was quiet for a minute before speaking softly. “Things had changed between us.”

“It’s your rule. You made it, you broke it. Why not dump it? Or would you rather dump me?”

Turning, Gibbs made eye contact. “Are we done?”

“I think we should be done sneaking around. Either we’re going to be together or we’re not.”

“It’s not that easy. Things would change at work.”

“So what? I think we should toss it out there and let the chips fall where they may.”

“What about piano night? You do realize the team is going to show up again, right?”

“So?”

“I like sitting at the bar and watching you without distraction.”

“You can always come over to my apartment,” Tony offered.

“I don’t like your apartment. It smells like bleach and disinfectant, like autopsy.”

“My apartment is clean. That’s a good thing.”

“It doesn’t have a basement.”

*** *** *** 

They returned to business as usual at work the next day. Neither made any reference to the night before, the bar, or Tony’s piano playing, leaving Tim and Bishop to eye each other across the bullpen, wondering what was up.

*** *** *** 

The following Wednesday, Gibbs remained working late at the office after the rest of the team left. When Tony said he’d be right behind them, Tim and Bishop caught the elevator down to Abby’s lab.

“Are we still going?” Ellie asked.

Abby replied enthusiastically, “Of course, why wouldn’t we?”

“They haven’t said one word about last week.”

Raising his eyebrows, Tim reminded her, “Neither did we. It would be less awkward if we had brought it up the next day.”

“I know,” said Ellie, “but we kept thinking they would say something.”

Grabbing her purse and jacket, Abby switched the lights off as they left the lab. “They probably want to keep this outside of work. Or the bartender was just wrong. Tony probably mentioned that he played the piano there and Gibbs showed up one night as a friend. I’m sure Tony enjoys seeing friendly faces in the audience.”

“So we are still going,” Ellie confirmed.

“Of course!”

When they arrived and were shown to their table, they saw Tony sitting at the bar eating his dinner. Ellie waved and Abby ran across the room to hug him tightly. 

“What are you guys doing here?” Tony asked.

“We came to see and support you.”

“Don’t take this the wrong way, Abs, but I really meant that this was a private thing. Can you guys please not camp out here all night long? Maybe stay for just one set? Please?”

“Really?”

“I just want a place where I can go and relax and get away from work for a while. Don’t look hurt. I love you all, but you’re part of work. Sort of. When I see you guys, I start thinking about cases.”

“Okay, I see,” Abby said, hanging her head. “Sorry to be a burden.”

Before she walked away, Tony grabbed her wrist. “I really do love you guys. I love that you want to be here for me. I do. But I also need some me time. Understand?”

“Sure.”

Grabbing his plate, silverware and glass, he followed her to the table and took a seat. 

“We remind him of work, so we have to leave after dinner,” Abby said sadly.

Bishop frowned. “You don’t want us here?”

“I love that you guys are here as friends, I appreciate you wanting to support me, but I need some me time. Stay for the first set, then let me have some of my own time, please.”

“Okay,” Tim agreed slowly. 

Smiling cheerily, Tony stood up. “Thanks. I appreciate it. Really.” 

“Can we come every week if we only stay for one set?” asked Ellie.

“Sure, I'd love that.” 

Throughout their meal, the team kept an eye on the door waiting for Gibbs to show up, but he never did. Tony took notice and smiled.

On his break, Tony went to sit with the team, sipping on a drink from the bartender. 

“Last week, I’d gotten the impression that Gibbs stopped by to hear you play every week. Is he coming tonight?” Bishop asked. 

Tony shrugged noncommittally. “Look, a couple years ago, we were working late, and he invited me out for a drink after a long day. I brought him here. We drank. I played. Sometimes he stops by. Sometimes he doesn’t. He likes to listen, but he gives me my space.”

Ellie smiled. “So you two aren’t really dating?”

“Come on, Bishop. Rule twelve.”

“The bartender thought you might be dating.”

Turning, Tony eyed the bartender and nodded for her to bring over another round. “Gibbs and I sit at the bar together and often leave together. We chat about work sometimes. Maybe she mistook something we said. Who knows?”

After sharing a couple of rounds with the team, Tony stood up and stretched. “It was good to see you all and I will see you in the morning.”

Gibbs didn’t show up until the third set, and sat at the far end of the bar, enjoying a bourbon as he listened to Tony play.

*** *** *** 

The next day at the office, Tim was grinning like the proverbial cat who ate the canary. When Gibbs was called up to the director’s office, Tim sent Bishop a quick text, asking her to meet him in Abby’s lab. He left the office first, then Bishop followed a short time later.

Down in the lab, Ellie walked in and asked, “What’s up with you today?”

“I did a little pinging last night. Gibbs shows up at the bar late.”

“So he did show up after all,” said Abby. “I think there could be something going on that they’re not telling us.”

Tapping his fingers on the metal table, Tim continued smiling. “Exactly! After they left the bar, Tony went over to Gibbs’ house.”

“That’s interesting,” Ellie said. 

“Oh, there is more. He spent the night. All night.”

Abby beamed brightly, bouncing on her toes. “So, it is true! They are a couple.” 

“A couple of what?” Gibbs asked as he entered the lab and handed Abby a Caf-Pow.

After walking over to her computer, Abby opened a screen. “They are a couple of fingerprints that are going to lead us right to our suspect.” A few more taps on her keyboard opened up a name and address. “Jayson Kennedy. He’s someone you are going to want to talk to.”

Leaning close, Gibbs kissed Abby’s temple. As he left the lab, he motioned for Ellie and McGee to follow him.

*** *** *** 

Tony spent Friday night at Gibbs’ house. When morning broke, he found himself alone in the bed and walked downstairs, knowing he’d find Gibbs at the table with the morning’s paper and a cup of steaming hot coffee.

“They suspect,” Gibbs said, not looking up from the paper.

Tony laughed easily. “Let them wonder.”

Finally looking up, Gibbs added, “I hate having to sneak in late, waiting for them to leave before I can hear you play.”

Offering his hand, Tony said, “Taken care of. Come with me. I have something to show you.”

The pair walked out to Tony’s car. Gibbs was surprised that Tony drove straight over to Murphy’s and knocked on the door. The owner, Benny, smiled as he let them in. They saw a couple of the staff members cleaning the tables and floors, but it was quiet in the building. 

Tony walked over to the piano and lifted the cover over the keys and starting playing warmup exercises. “Private concert,” he finally announced. 

Gibbs glanced around, noticing the employees busy with their cleaning duties. “Semi-private, but I’ll take it.”

“Benny said I can come in and play anytime I want on the weekend mornings. He thought the employees would enjoy it and promised to make you all the black coffee you want.”

Just then Benny appeared and set a fresh cup in front of Gibbs. “Tony told me you were in the Marines, too.”

Looking up, Gibbs nodded as he thanked Benny for the mug. “Just the way I like it.”

“And this way,” Tony began, “the team can’t get in!”

An hour later, the pair headed toward a flea market, where Gibbs enjoyed poking through the odds and ends, looking for deals. They ate lunch at a small café before going back to Gibbs’ house.

Tony pulled up in front of the house and dropped Gibbs off. “I have to go feed my fish. I’ll grab a change of clothes and be back in a couple of hours.”

“I thought we could resolve all our issues with a simple move,” Gibbs said before getting out of the car and walking toward the porch.

“Yeah? What’s that?” Tony called after him.

“You could move in here.”

“Live with you?”

Turning slightly, Gibbs smiled. “Something like that. Then your piano would be here, and we’d be living together, which is entirely different than dating.

*** *** *** 

Two weeks later, Gibbs was working in his basement, a shot of bourbon close at hand. The sounds of Tony’s baby grand piano wafted through the space, vibrating the wooden support beams in the ceiling. It gave the piano a haunting sound, but it was pleasing to Gibbs’ ears. He smiled as he double-checked his measurements and continued working on his boat, looking forward to Tony coming down to join him later on.

~End~  
09/21/2019  
© 2019 by Jacie


End file.
